Making a Living

1. Making a Living Text A Life of a Salesman Text B Bricklay’s Boy

2. Life of a Salesman Betrayed by a crippled body that leaves him in continual pain, betrayed by a changing world that no longer needs him, Bill Porter each day trudges his door-to-door sales territory, set on making his way in the world Sunday, November 19, 1995 The portrait of Bill Porter

3. About the Author Tom Hallman Jr. is a senior reporter specializing in features at The Oregonian. He joined the paper in 1980 and covered the police beat for a decade, longer than any reporter since the 1950s. While covering cops, Hallman began writing feature stories -- at first off the beat, then the stories of everyday people. He was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in beat reporting in 1995 and in feature writing in 1999. He has won the Ernie Pyle Award for human-interest writing, the ASNE Distinguished Writing Award for nondeadline writing (twice), the feature-writing award from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Livingston Award for Young Journalists.

4. Pre-reading Task:A Gift of Ourselvesby Tom Hallman Jr. • This is a true story happened short after “ Life of a Salesman” published. Read the story in 3 minutes and answer the following questions. Long after today's Christmas gifts are packed away and forgotten, I'm still going to be thinking about what happened a few days ago when a janitor at The Oregonian stopped by my desk and handed me a check for $100. He stood patiently, a quiet man who looked slightly embarrassed, as if struggling to find the right words. Finally, he just stuck out his hand and thrust a crumpled check forward. $100. Nearly half his weekly paycheck.

5. A Gift of Ourselves "Give this to him," Rondy Nix said. "To Bill Porter." Half a paycheck. Four days before Christmas. Nix shrugged. "He deserves it. I thought about giving him $20, or $50. But then I thought I could get by with $100. I'm not a rich man. That's a lot of money." Nix searched for more words. "I'm just a janitor; I do cleanup," he said. "I'm not sophisticated or anything. I'm a simple man. Let me try to put it in terms you can understand. I look at Bill Porter, and I see that I can try and do better myself." And with that, Nix turned away and went back to work.

6. ? • What is the main idea of this story? • What do you think of Nix’s action? If you were him, would you do the same?

7. Discussion • What criterion is a must for a salesman? • Do you think you can be a salesman?

8. Ten Tips Selling in China • Know the market. • Use Hong Kong as your base to enter China. • Learn about Chinese culture. • Leverage an existing relationship. • Assist your family of companies. • Take care of the people who make introductions. • Bend the rules while sticking your neck out. • Slow your pace. • Be courteous. • Create desirability.

9. BILL PORTER’S SELLING LIFE GO

10. Text Structure Scan the text to see how many parts it has? Part I: 5:45am Part II: 7:45am Part III: since 5:45 Part VI: after 7 pm A book about Bill Porter

11. Structure

12. Language Study

13. Text A: Life of a Salesman • Linger: a) spend a long time doing sth. Examples: My daughter used to linger long over her meal. b) stay for a long time, esp. because one does not want to leave Examples: It is a dreary little town where few people would choose to linger. He was still lingering around the stadium long after the game was over.

14. Text A: Life of a Salesman • scar: a mark left on the skin by a wound, burn, etc. after it has healed Examples: It is easy to recognize the little boy because he has scar on his left arm. The witness told the police that the criminal had a scar on his forehead. vt. Leave a scar on

15. Text A: Life of a Salesman • So, too, do the voices of those who…: The voices of those who…also echo in his soul. • Dignity: the quality of being worthy of honor or respect Examples: A physician shall be dedicated to providing competent medical service with compassion and respect for human dignity. Some think that cloned human beings will be deprived of freedom or dignity or personal identity. They hold on to the faith that the value of life depends on its dignity and not its success.

16. Text A: Life of a Salesman • cripple: a) cause to become unable to move or walk properly Examples: At the beginning of the year 2000 crippled children were on state lists to receive care. b) damage or harm (sb./sth.) seriously Examples: Shooting and robberies of tourists over the past several years had crippled the tourist industry in Miami. The tourists’ attack has not crippled the US economy.

17. Text A: Life of a Salesman • betray: show a lack of loyalty to; give or show (sb./sth.) to an enemy Examples: According to the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, greed made Judas betray Jesus to the chief priest for 30 pieces of silver. He was accused of betraying his country during the war. It turned out that he was an informer, and, betrayed the plan to the German.

18. Text A: Life of a Salesman • Gain on: come closer to, esp. a rival or sth. Pursed Examples: Hurry up—they are gaining on us. She was gaining on her opponents throughout the race , but only overtook them at the very end.

19. Text A: Life of a Salesman • tremble: shake from cold, fear, weakness, etc. Examples: Her hands grew very cold and trembled so that she could hardly hold the flag. Madison was extremely pale and trembled excessively as he began his inaugural address. For much of the day the payments tremble from the weight of passing traffic.

20. Text A: Life of a Salesman • kick up: (cause to ) rise Examples: The horses kicked up a cloud of dust. The boy kicked up the leaves that lay thick upon the ground with the coming of autumn.

21. Text A: Life of a Salesman • tilt: (cause to) move into a sloping position Examples: The pilot can tilt the helicopter forward, backward, or to either side. In the northern hemisphere, the sun climbs high in the sky and the days are long in summer, when the northern end of the earth’s axis is tilted toward the sun. n. Examples: The leaning Tower of Pisa is renowned for its marked tilt. The amount of daylight in a day varies throughout the year, based on the tilt of Earth’s axis.

22. Text A: Life of a Salesman • lean: (cause to) be in a sloping position; bend Examples: He leaned his bike against the wall. She leaned over the bridge to look at the boats passing beneath it. a. producing little of value; containing little or no fat Examples: The company has apparently recovered from several lean years. The recession and lean state budgets continued to trouble school officials. We like to eat very lean and tender meat.

23. Text A: Life of a Salesman • delivery: a) the process of birth Examples: Women who do manual work have easy deliveries. In the end, it was an easy delivery: a fine baby boy. b) the delivering of letters, goods, etc. Examples: Federal Express Corporation provide rapid delivery of packages, letters, and other shipments within the United States and worldwide. Most newspapers offer home delivery.

24. Text A: Life of a Salesman • section: any of the parts into which sth. is divided Examples: This article consists of ten major sections. Newspapers typically have sections for local news, sports, arts and entertainment, business, and classified advertising.

25. Text A: Life of a Salesman • disorder: disturbance of the normal working of the body or mind; lack of order Examples: Severe vitamin and mineral deficiencies can lead to mental disorders. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice that treats disorders by inserting needles under the skin . The school authorities took immediate action to stop campus violence and disorder.

26. Text A: Life of a Salesman • transfer: move from one place to another (usu. Used in the pattern: transfer sth. / sb. (from…to)) Examples: Transferring Peter from Tokyo to the Boston office was a smart idea. Commercial airports are designed to transfer passengers and freight to and from aircraft. Credits earned at junior colleges could be transferred to another institution where students could complete their final years of college. He was transferred from Crystal Palace to Arsenal for £ 2.5 million.

27. Text A: Life of a Salesman • limitation: lack of ability Examples: Electric cars could travel only a short distance before they needed recharging, due to the limitations of battery technology. Acupuncture is good for some medical conditions but it has its limitations. As a student he recognized his limitations, but did little to improve himself.

28. Text A: Life of a Salesman • Apply for: make a formal request for Examples: I applied for five jobs before I was offered this one. According to the school regulations students will have to apply for permission to study abroad.

29. Text A: Life of a Salesman • representative: a person who represents others Examples: Egypt, Israel, and the representatives of the Palestinian people will participate in negotiations on the resolution of the Palestinian problem. Representatives from more than 170 nations converged on Paris for the Earth Summit.

30. Text A: Life of a Salesman • literature: a) printed material use to advertise or promote a product Examples: My friend is sending me literature from two other companies that provide a similar service. There is quite a lot of literature available on the history of computers. b) writings that are valued as works of arts Examples: Many readers consider the novel the most flexible type of literature. The graduate school offers master’s or doctoral degree programs for advanced study in such liberal arts and science fields as history, chemistry, physics, and literature.

31. Text A: Life of a Salesman • pledges: a solemn promise Examples: They made a pledge to accomplish the task. The boy make a pledge to get straight A’s at the end of the semester. vt. Examples: Member nations of the UN pledge to settle their disputes peacefully and to refrain from using force. They have pledged not dump hazardous wastes into the rivers.

32. Text A: Life of a Salesman • retail: the practice of selling goods in small quantities to the general public Examples: Wal-Mart is a company that operates a variety of retail chain stores. Department stores refer to large retail stores selling many different kinds of merchandise arranged in separate departments.

33. Text A: Life of a Salesman • transit: passage through or across; a system of urban public transportation Examples: Our fleet make the transit through the Panama Canal without any difficulty. The president wants to improve the nation’s highways and mass transit systems.

34. Text A: Life of a Salesman • strain: injure (the body or the part of it) or make it weak by too much effort Examples: Swimming does not strain joints and connective tissue as much as many other forms of exercise. He strained his back when he removed the piano with his friends. n. a severe demand on mental or physical strength, resources, abilities, etc. (followed by on) Examples: Some young white collar workers are complaining about their fob strain. She has been under terrible strain since her company was bankrupted. The vast expansion in college education is putting an enormous strain on the system.

35. Text A: Life of a Salesman • useless: not fulfilling the intended purpose Examples: Preventing the country from purchasing oil crippled its army and made its navy and air force completely useless. Overpopulation and overcropping are turning approximately 14 million acres a year of formerly fertile land into barren and economically useless wasteland.

36. Text A: Life of a Salesman • limb: a leg or an arm; a large branch of a tree Examples: The small size and weight of dogs’ feet and limbs require less energy to move. No attempt should be made to move broken limbs until medical help arrives. The flag was hanging from the limb of a big tree.

37. Text A: Life of a Salesman • Off balance: in an unsteady position or about to fall Examples: The motorcycle knocked him off balance and he fell down on the ground. The sudden pull threw me off balance.

38. Text A: Life of a Salesman • territory: land a country controls or owns Examples: The government denies that any of its territory is under rebel control. A country’s embassy in a foreign country is considered its own territory. • on the phone: be talking to sb. using the phone Examples: Please wait outside for a moment; the manager is on the phone. She is always on the phone, wanting to know what her husband has been up to.

39. Text A: Life of a Salesman • register: a) be recognized or noted mentally Examples: On occasions what I said didn’t register in my daughter’s brain. The professor’s name didn’t register with the students. b) record a name, an event, etc. for official purposes Examples: The new students were told that they must register with the University before they could claim their grants. The newly purchased apartment isregistered in her name, not her husband’s.

40. Text A: Life of a Salesman • laundry: clothes or sheets, etc. that have been or need to be washed Examples: The new model washing machine offers numerous settings for washing different types and quantities of laundry. A good deal of laundry had accumulated during the past two weeks, as our washing machine didn’t work.

41. Text A: Life of a Salesman • profitable: bringing profit or advantage Examples: The trading department of the investment band buys and sells securities when profitable opportunities arise. Based in New York City, Random House owns many of the most prestigious and profitable book publishing companies in the United States. The trade of opium, a highly profitable product for British merchants and eventually an illegal import into China, led to the Opium Wars. I didn’t find the talk very profitable. On the contrary, I thought it was nonsense.

42. Text A: Life of a Salesman • off one’s feet: no longer standing Examples: After the operation the old man had to stay off his feet. The doctor checked his left foot carefully and said he would have to stay off his feet for about two weeks. • commission: money paid to sb. For selling goods which increases with the quantity of goods sold Examples: If a salesperson is paid on commission, the amount they receive depends on the amount they sell. Peters gets 10% commission on every photocopier he sells.

43. Text A: Life of a Salesman • surgery: treatment of injuries or diseases by cutting or removing parts of the body Examples: People have practiced surgery since ancients times, but it did not become a respected science until the 19th century. Surgery is the fastest and most effective treatment for tumors that are detected early. • be laid up (with): stay in bed, be unable to work, etc. Examples: Our math teacher has been laid up in bed with acute flu for a week. The football player was laid up with a twisted knee.

44. Text A: Life of a Salesman • signature: a person’s name written by herself or himself Examples: In law, signatures are put at the end of a legal instrument to show that it is valid. A testator unable to write may make an X, and such a mark is considered a valid signature. • In time: punctually, not too late; eventually Examples: The couple have just arrived in time for lunch. She set the alarm so she would wake up in time to go to school.

45. Text A: Life of a Salesman • Go off: (off electric power, a light, etc.) stop functioning or operating Examples: All the lights suddenly went off and the stadium was plunged into darkness. I didn’t sleep well last night as all the heating went off.

46. Text A: Life of a Salesman Group Discussion • What has Bill Porter been struggling for all his life? Do you think it is worth his efforts? • How do you feel about Bill Porter? Why? • What characteristics of journalistic writhing do you find in this article?

47. Text A: Life of a Salesman If you are interest in Bill Porter’s story, you can send letters for Mr. Porter to Tom Hallman c/o The Oregonian 1320 S.W. Broadway Portland, OR 97201

48. Text A: Life of a Salesman Translate the following passage into English, using the words and phrases given below: cripple commission useless limitation representative dignity retail disability territory profit limb apply for

49. Text A: Life of a Salesman Chinese: 年已65岁的比尔·波特是一位患有脑瘫的波特兰老人。他不仅讲话困难，而且因一条腿无用而跛足。年轻时，政府考虑到他失业，建议他领取残废救济金。他拒绝了。最终他在Watkins找到一份销售代表的工作，只拿佣金，并且假日无工资。连续几年，他的销售业绩在Watkins名列前茅，为公司取得很大的利润。就这样，40多年以来，他靠在他建立的推销区里上门销售Watkins产品独立谋生。的确，他战胜了自身的局限，赢得了做人的尊严。

50. Text A: Life of a Salesman Key to the translation: Bill Porter is a 65-year-old Portlander with cerebral palsy. He speaks with great difficulty and is a cripple with one of his limbs useless. When he was a young man, the state considered him unemployable and suggested he collect disability payments. He refused. Eventually he applied for a job in Watkins to work as a sales representative. He works on straight commission and gets no paid holiday. For several yeas he was Watkins’ top retail salesman and made much profit for the company. For more than 40 years he's earned a living selling Watkins products door-to-door in a territory. Bill Porter do rise above his limitation and gain dignity as a human being.